Visit Pensacola, Inc.

Visit Pensacola's Event Marketing Grant Program is now accepting applications for events taking place Oct. 1, 2025 – Sept. 30, 2026 🎉 Annually, Visit Pensacola allocates funds from its budget to an event grant program for groups and organizations that coordinate events or visitor experiences with a demonstrated history of visitor impact or significant potential to draw visitors to the area. The Visit Pensacola event grant program’s main purpose is to attract visitors overnight while engaging the local community with more experiences. Grant workshops will be hosted in the Bowden Building located at 120 Church Street. All grant applicants are required to attend one of the workshops. Workshop dates include: April 21 – 11 a.m. April 24 – 12 p.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m. April 25 – 8 a.m. Learn more about Visit Pensacola's Event Grant Program by tapping here: https://bit.ly/3j9ogi0

Attendance numbers are in for the Sun Belt Conference Basketball Championships, and they're looking bright! ☀️ 2025's championships produced the league’s highest attendance marks in more than a decade for the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. Attendance marks include ⬇️ • 16% increase in attendance for men's basketball • 14% increase in attendance for women's basketball • 15% combined increase in attendance for basketball • Highest attendance for men's tournament since 2009 • Highest attendance for women's tournament since 2013 • Highest Sun Belt Basketball Championships attendance in Pensacola Visit Pensacola looks forward to another 5 years of partnering with the Sun Belt Conference and continuing this positive attendance growth.

National Travel & Tourism Week (NTTW) is May 5-9, and we look forward to celebrating Escambia County's hospitality and tourism industry! ❤️🍍 Nominations for Hospitality Heroes are currently open, and Visit Pensacola is excited to give back to the Escambia County tourism industry with a $500 award to its Hospitality Hero winners. Nominate your hero here: https://bit.ly/35RZJeu Learn more about NTTW and register for events here: https://bit.ly/3LLGUJr

We're happy to announce several new tourism partners that have joined the Visit Pensacola family in the past month! 😎 🌟 Pensacola Pedal Trolley 🌟 Paddle Pub Pensacola 🌟 Alla Prima Coffee 🌟 Jewelers Trade Shop 🌟 Improbable Cause Mystery Theatre 👉 Visit Pensacola could not tell the story of our destination without our tourism partners. We work with local businesses to promote the Pensacola Bay Area as a premier destination for conventions, meetings, sporting events, leisure travel, and more. ℹ️ Interested in becoming a partner? Tap here: https://bit.ly/3AaOryu to learn more. #TheWayToBeach

That's a wrap on the 2025 Travel & Adventure Shows! ✈️ This year, Visit Pensacola was represented in key markets Atlanta, Denver, and Dallas, along with the Northwest Florida Beaches coalition in New York City and Toronto. The positive response from consumers was overwhelming! Travel & Adventure Shows are an excellent way for us to connect directly with consumers planning their upcoming vacations and adventures, sharing with them all the great things Pensacola, Pensacola Beach, and Perdido Key have to offer ☀️

The numbers are in, and tourism in Pensacola is shining bright ☀️ Visit Pensacola recently released its annual report for the fiscal year 2024, taking place Oct. 1, 2023, - Sept. 30, 2024. "Florida’s tourism industry is the backbone of many communities, and in Escambia County, it’s not just about visitors enjoying our world-class beaches, history, and attractions—it’s about real benefits for our residents," said Visit Pensacola President and CEO Darien Schaefer. "Every dollar spent by a visitor helps put food on tables, keep jobs strong, and fund projects that improve our region for everyone who lives here." Some of the highlights include ⬇️ 🌟 2.54 million visitors– up 2.3% 🌟 $22 million in tourism development tax collections – up 2.1% 🌟 $1.3 billion in direct spending – up .4% 🌟 $2.01 billion in economic impact 🌟 18,700 Jobs Supported 🌟 $513 in local taxes saved per household Florida continues to lead the way in tourism, and Visit Pensacola is focused on maintaining its status as a premier destination.

Nominate a Hospitality Hero! 🦸 Every year for National Travel & Tourism Week (NTTW), Visit Pensacola invites the community to nominate hospitality & tourism industry workers to be celebrated for their hard work and service throughout the year. These individuals demonstrate exceptional hospitality, set the standard for excellence, and proudly represent our region. Four winners will be honored at the Hospitality Hero Awards Luncheon on May 8, 2025, as part of NTTW. Each Hospitality Hero will receive a $500 cash award in recognition of their contributions to the tourism industry in Pensacola! Any individual working within Escambia County’s tourism and hospitality sector, including lodging, restaurants, attractions, and related businesses, can be nominated. 🔗 Nominations are open now and will close on April 25th. Tap here: https://bit.ly/35RZJeu to submit your nomination!

Last Friday, Visit Pensacola President & CEO Darien Schaefer traveled to New Orleans to appear on Great Day Louisiana! He spoke with host Malik Mingo about the many attractions Pensacola has to offer and The Way To Beach™. Louisiana is a key drive market for Pensacola, making this an excellent opportunity to showcase the Pensacola Bay Area to our Louisiana neighbors. Thanks for having us, WWL-TV! #TheWayToBeach

As travelers seek their next warm-weather getaway, Pensacola and Perdido Key have caught the eye of Midwest Living, earning a spot in the publication's '25 Warm-Weather Vacations Our Editors Love to Take.'

Good news! 🎉 We're happy to share that not one but TWO Pensacola bars were recognized in Southern Living's 'The South's 10 Best Beach Bars 2025!' 👏 The Flora-Bama and Peg Leg Pete's have been favorites of locals and visitors alike for decades. Enjoy the read!